


Flashes

by JoAsakura



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-07-02
Updated: 2012-09-03
Packaged: 2017-11-09 00:59:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/449501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoAsakura/pseuds/JoAsakura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a collection of tumblr-based reblog shenko flash-fics. Collecting here before I accidentally delete MORE of them ;_;</p><p>I recommend following the links if you want to see the gorgeous pics that inspired them :D</p><p>I'll update this periodically with the really small reblogs :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Almost all of these involve reblogs of GORGEOUS images from Halyen

 **That one Moment**  
http://joasakura.tumblr.com/post/26142221798/they-say-your-life-is-supposed-to-flash-before

They say your life is supposed to flash before your eyes.

But all Kaidan can see is that one moment, the same quirk of a smile on Shepard’s lips. He would give anything to go back to that moment, to know that smile is going to end in a kiss that tastes like Shepard and whiskey.The warmth of his body pressed close

But it doesn’t. There’s no whiskey and there’s no warmth. There’s only the cold and the howl of Normandy’s engines, stealth systems buying them precious moments. He wants to keep Shepard safe, keep him close, whiskey and warmth and the two of them in the dark and he can’t.

He can still feel Shepard’s gauntlet on his cheek as Joker pulls them away and, stupidly, inappropriately, a quote from a vid he’d seen ticks over in his brain.

_“..Any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we’re doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again.”_

 

 **becoming**  
http://joasakura.tumblr.com/post/25166365101/once-in-a-while-there-are-these-moments-small

Once in a while, there are these moments - small things, uncanny things - that remind Kaidan that Shepard is a singular creature.

As he listens to the prothean memories sing, there’s a flare of power, alien biotics burned by ghosts into his DNA, and Kaidan knows that Shepard isn’t aware of it. Isn’t aware of the shuddering green light that dances behind his eyes as he loses himself in the story hidden in what just looks like static to Kaidan and Liara. For those moments, Kaidan doesn’t even see him breathe.

It’s those moments that Kaidan feels a frission of fear, not unpleasant at all, at the thought that whatever Shepard is, he’s long past being human and well into becoming something else, something amazing and terrifying. Organic and synthetic. Human and not.

Changing. Adapting. Becoming.

Just as quickly as it started, it fades. Eyes sharp and blue again and a little stumble. Shepard rubs his eyes and Kaidan’s hand rests on his arm to steady him, bring him back to himself. To them.

Shepard’s lips pull into a tiny grateful smile, a crinkle around his eyes that warms his whole face. And then, he’s all business again.

And Kaidan keeps his thoughts to himself.

**whole**

http://joasakura.tumblr.com/post/25920660399/kaidan-had-beat-himself-up-in-so-many-ways-after

 

Kaidan had beat himself up in so many ways after Horizon. After he’d blurted out that losing Shepard had been like losing a limb. (A phantom pain of near misses, might-have-beens, of maybes they had both been to awkward to explore). He’d beaten himself up for exposing weakness to a probably Cerberus agent. For saying something so ridiculous in front of Shepard. in front of something wearing Shepard’s face. For letting an old hurt get the better of him. For the look on Shepard’s face that stabbed Kaidan right through the heart.

~~

It wasn’t until they fit together, Shepard so very warm beneath him, beautiful in the dim light, that Kaidan knew how right those words had been. He’d lost a limb he’d never known he’d had when Shepard died. That broken look in the Commander’s bright eyes had been because the most important part of him had pushed him away.

And as they kissed, slow and easy and washing away those last bits of hurt that lingered in the corners, Kaidan knew they were finally whole.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt madness

**zwierzodudle : mShenko, cuddling? (I know, not very creative, BUT HUGS)**

Kaidan wasn’t sure what he noticed first: the weight making his arm fall asleep, the snoring, or the thin dribble of drool soaking into his sweater.

A datapad still sat in Shepard’s slack fingers, it’s contents probably already long-read and committed to the former Commander’s ridiculous memory. Carefully, Kaidan took it from him, and set it aside his own. “Shep. Hey..” He whispered, and he felt Shepard stir against him.

“Mmh.” Shepard rubbed his face and blinked, a tiny smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “How long?” He got tired so much more easily these days, but that sleepy smile was a treasure.

“Not that long.” Kaidan rubbed his cheek against the messy thatch of Shepard’s hair. Outside, it was quiet, except for some distant sounds of traffic. They resettled themselves, just a bit, so Shepard wasn’t cutting off his circulation, and Kaidan smiled himself. “This is nice.”

“It is.” Shepard nodded, closing his eyes. “I think we should do this more often.”

“I think we have all the time in the world, Shepard.”

 

**reyani: A cute bickering between Shep and Kaidan, maybe over drinking straight out of the milk carton.**

“Shepard.” Kaidan said, folding his arms in the doorway.

“Alenko.” Shepard replied with a little frown. The kitchen was a highly defensible position, but there was little in the way of exit points.

“John.” Kaidan said again.

“Kaidan…I know how this must look.” Shepard said, holding the quart of milk. He could feel a few droplets clinging to the stubble near his lips, but he resisted the urge to wipe them clean. It seemed like only admitting defeat.

“It looks like you’re drinking out of the carton again, John.” Kaidan took a step into the kitchen, one eyebrow inching up his face.

“You know, I saved the galaxy.” Shepard countered hopefully, clutching the milk to his chest.

“I know that’s really… unhygenic.” Kaidan snatched the milk away from him with a little biotic pull.

“To be fair, you do know where my mouth has been.” Shepard retorted, grabbing the milk back with his own powers. He saw Kaidan’s frown twitch at the corners, as he fought down a grin.

(Point: Shepard) the commander thought, before Kaidan took the milk back and took a swig himself.

After all, Shepard knew exactly where Kaidan’s mouth had been, too.

**lirrin: Kaidan kidnapping Shepard’s hoodie. Bonus points for ensured mshenko snuggles. :D**

It was battered and worn, frays at the hems and a hole in one pocket. But it was soft - so soft that it was almost just an idea of warmth and comfort and home that had Shepard’s scent bonded permanently down to the very core of the fabric no matter how many times they’d washed it.

(Musk and ozone, a storm that had washed the galaxy clean with a little hint of gun oil and something deliciously spicy and.. Shepard-like) Kaidan grinned wearily as he pulled on Shepard’s beloved hoodie. He was dog-tired, and his head ached, just a bit, from a knock he’d taken from an arms dealer. Just because the war was over, didn’t mean a SPECTRE’s job was close to being done, he sighed, burrowing his face in the jacket and breathing deep.

He was dozing, half-listening to an annotated recording of the all-elcor production of Hamlet, when there was a clatter in the hall. Shepard stumbled past, heading for the bedroom like a zombie, muttering something unflattering about Admiral Hackett.

Muttering that turned into him shambling back into the living room a few minutes later, half-stripped out of his dress uniform and looking like he’d just had his puppy kicked. “Hoodie.” He made a vague, grabby gesture. “Give.”

“No. I got home first, it’s mine.” Kaidan hugged it to himself.

Shepard flopped on the couch beside him, and then sprawled across Kaidan. “Come on. I spent all afternoon trying to keep a fight from breaking out in parliament, and I almost punched a turian diplomat in the face. I’m so tired.”

“I got kicked in the head by a salarian arms dealer.” Kaidan replied smugly. “Physical injury wins the hoodie every time.”

Shepard gave a long-suffering sigh, and settled his sprawl into something more comfortable for the both of them, burrowing his face against Kaidan’s neck. “Fine, fine. I’m staying right here then.”

Kaidan stroked his hands down the expanse of Shepard’s bare back with a grin the other man couldn’t see.

Maybe he wasn’t so exhausted after all.


	3. more prompt madness

**zwierzodudle : There’s never too much mShenko hugging/snuggling/cuddling… :D (yes this is my prompt forever)**

 

If Kaidan could have had a “top five things I didn’t know about Shepard before we started dating” list, number one with a bullet would have been “clingy”.

When they served together on the first Normandy, they had danced around each other, never *quite* touching - at least until Shepard had carried him to safety on Virmire. (and Kaidan still kicked himself about that. Because, hindsight being what it is, had he made the first move and kissed Shepard like he’d been fantasizing about in the corridor that night, things might have been different , so different. But..)

It wasn’t that Shepard had no concept of personal space. He clearly, CLEARLY did. With everyone but Kaidan. And as much as he thought he would have hated it?

He didn’t.

it amazed kaidan at how quickly he got used to Shepard’s hand twining with his in the lift. Shepard’s legs draped over his as they read reports. Shepard nodding off on his shoulder as they caught a few minutes of some vid before going back into the fray (even if this inevitably led to drool also on his shoulder).

He was amazed how quickly he got used to Shepard’s extra weight on his lap as they kissed, or the warmth of his back against Kaidan’s chest as they enjoyed the rare occasions when they could just lie together and the world was reduced to the two of them, snuggled down under the white quilt.

And lying there, Shepard’s head resting on his arm, while Kaidan’s other wrapped around him, he wished he could go back in time and tell his younger self “damn the regulations, Alenko. Hug him, already. Hold him and never, ever let him go.”

~~

**viridianpanther : Film night on the Normandy! Shep and the crew watch, MST3K-style, a movie based on their exploits in ME1. (Bonus if said film is dreadful.)**

 

The box of movie donations from the “Shin Akiba Merchant’s Guild” was a.. it was a mixed bag, Kaidan thought grimly. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the gesture, you know, for morale purposes… but he and Vega had spent the last hour sorting out the thumb drives and optical disks, most of which had hand printed labels on them.

He hated that he wasn’t surprised that most of it had been porn. In Batarian. About Shepard. (He had James box those up for er.. “storage”, except for the one marketed to Vorcha which they watched together for about five minutes before dumping it in the trash disposal and vowing to never, EVER speak of it again) Out of hundreds of films, there were maybe 10, 15 (all of them bootlegs) that they could reliably show to the crew.

He’d set aside the Commander Cosmobunny christmas special for Shepard, and sorted through the rest. “Star Commander” Kaidan said out loud, squinting at the label. “An Elkoss Combine Production.” (Oh boy. this should be good.)

~~

All the off-duty crew gathered in the mess, a holoscreen jury rigged in front of the walkway to the main battery.

What had started off as nervous, uncomfortable laughter had devolved into full-on hysterics and commentary as the volus playing Kaidan (apparently a condition of the movie’s financing had involved putting the producer’s son in a key role) screamed, being drawn in by badly animated tentacles from the Eden Prime beacon.

Kaidan shot a side-eye at Shepard, who was trying so very hard to not laugh. So hard that tears were welling in his eyes.

The roles were reversed moments later when the shepard-actor spent several minutes posturing before rescuing the imperiled volus. “Yep, that’s a Shepard speech.” Garrus said from behind them, and Shepard sulked.

“I don’t really sound like that, do i?” He stole some of kaidan’s popcorn and sunk down in his seat.

The Rachni were vorcha in rubber prosthesis suits, and the krogan playing Wrex (according to the liner notes, he had starred in several Citadel productions of famous asari plays) approached the role with such ridiculous gravity that Liara fell off her chair, cackling.

The laughter died as the movie switched to Virmire. Ashley’s sacrifice was as overwrought as everything else, the actress bathed in ketchup substituting for fake blood substituting for real bood. It was so terrible it was hysterical, and after a few strangled titters from some of the new crew, the room hung in uncomfortable silence.

Then the Shepard-actor screamed “NOoooooo” in a moment that went on for at least five minutes too long. From his seat, Shepard started to giggle uncontrollably. Garrus made a cat-strangling noise from behind him, and Kaidan lifted his drink to the screen.

“To Ashley.”

“May her spirit strike who ever made this movie down dead.” Garrus added.

~~

 

**lirrin : Practical joke night at the Normandy! There is a prank-master on the loose and Shepard’s got to find out who it is! +Points for Shenkolove**

 

It started off innocently enough. Omnigel slathered on the latches to the armour lockers. A Citadel gift shop whoopee cushion on Joker’s chair that said “official He3 gas converter unit”. A sign stuck to Garrus’ behind that said “calibrate me”.

Shepard could overlook that. Things were tense. The war was making everyone frustrated. If a little harmless prankery meant the Normandy kept running smoothly, he could turn a blind eye.

Liara’s VI began belting out annoying show tunes that night and Dr. Chakwas came running out of the medbay cursing, when a bottle of whiskey she’d opened had been filled with fake spiders.

Shepard did his best to keep a straight face as he made the announcement that while levity was all well and good, these were serious times, and so, please keep the disruption to Normandy’s regular functions at a minimum.

He hated making speeches like that. But he stepped down from the galaxy map and nodded firmly to himself. That was the end of that.

Until he poured a cup of coffee to find someone had put dried fish paste in the filters. That was bad enough.

Until it got worse.

Shepard discovered in the worst possible way that a stick of “McSorley’s free range varren cloaca margarine” had found it’s way into his breather helmet and left there to melt.

Ever the professional, without a word Shepard pulled the helmet off, replaced it with his spare and continued on the mission, stinking of fake butter and with no coffee in his system.

But a line had been crossed. A shot had been fired. This was *war*.

~~

*Everyone* was a suspect, *everyone* was going to pay, thought Shepard as he strode across the shuttle bay, bits of margarine in his hair.

“Shepard.” Kaidan ran after him down the hall. “This..The butter. Maybe it was … meant for someone else. Like.. Like.. ohgod. Like me for instance.”

Shepard stopped short and turned briskly on his heel. “Major.” He said in a terrifyingly calm voice. “I haven’t had any coffee today and I smell like creamed varren ass. Is there something you’d like to tell me?”

~~

In his cabin, still damp from the three showers it took to get the smell off, Shepard looked at the two culprits.

Specialist Traynor found herself utterly fascinated by Shepard’s fishtank and Kaidan tried looking everywhere else.

“I told Major Alenko that he seemed awfully.. uptight.” Samantha said sheepishly. “I told him he needed a good old Oxford pranking.”

“And I told her I had a great sense of humour and I had been one of the best jokesters at Brain Camp.” Kaidan winced. “I may have exaggerated.”

“And the butter?”

“That would have been me, sir. I was going for Major Alenko’s helmet after he ruined my morning coffee.”

“To be fair, Javik says it’s the best the coffee’s ever tasted.” Kaidan supplied helpfully.

“Specialist Traynor, you are to report to Lieutenant Cortez in the Armoury and you are going to clean every inch of my hardsuit.” Shepard sighed. “EVERY inch. With a toothbrush.” He enunciated that last word and she flinched just a little bit.

“Major Alenko, you’re a senior officer and I expect better of you. I don’t care if Javik likes the coffee this way, fix it. And for the rest of the week, you’re on kitchen duty in between missions.” He frowned. “Traynor, you’re dismissed.”

She scrambled away with a hasty salute, leaving Kaidan rocking on his feet. “Shep..”

“I would recommend finding other ways to make this up to me, Major.” Shepard said, just a little too seriously for the twinkle in his eyes. “Just.. no butter.”

Kaidan grinned back. “Aye Aye, skipper. I’m sure I can find something else.”

~~

**datalenkoass: Ok, it’s a weird one but here goes. Shepard goes to Eternity Bar and watches an asari table dance. Instead of seeing her, he see’s kaidan.**

 

“Shepard, *Shepard*.” Jacob shook him just a little bit, holding his hand in front of Shepard’s face. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

The bass discretely thumped through the floor and the air in Bar Eternity was hazy and thick. It was peak happy hour and a there was a claustrophobic multi-species press of bodies all around.

In response, the disgraced Saviour of the Citadel stuck his middle finger up. “How many do *I* have up, Jacob?” Shepard leaned forward until his chin was resting on Jacob’s chest. “Hey.. you smell good.”

“Goddamnit. Fine, we’ll just dump him in a goddamn seat until he sobers up.” Zaeed said, frogmarching Shepard to a private table in the corner before he could lick the other man. “Shepard.” He slapped the commander across the face. “Shepard, look at me.”

“You smell good too, Zaeed.” Shepard leaned his head on the old merc’s shoulder as they shoved him in the booth. “Hey, let’s fu..”

“Someone slipped you a mickey, Shepard. Plus, you drank enough to kill Grunt.” Jacob cut him off. “Zaeed and I are gonna find out who would’ve doped you up with hallex and.. I dunno, maybe creeper, too. You’re seriously high as a kite.. and then..”

“And then we’re gonna kick their goddamn arses.” Zaeed finished. “So STAY PUT.” He barked and Shepard nodded before faceplanting on the sticky table with a thunk, giving them a shaky thumbs-up.

~~

Someone was stroking his hair, and it felt nice. Especially since his skull felt like it weighed as much as a hammerhead.

“Hey. So, here you are.” voice smooth and rough like whiskey and eyes the perfect shade to match. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Kaidan.” Shepard blinked as he forced himself to sitting. “What..”

“Just sit back and enjoy the show, beautiful.” Kaidan purred. He wasn’t in fatigues, wasn’t in the hard shell of black armour he’d been in the last time Shepard saw him. Thin blue fabric fit over his body like a second skin, transparent and glittering and concealing just enough to be even worse than if he’d been entirely naked.

“What are you doing?” Shepard blinked at the sudden insistence of his groin to get the rest of him functional. “I mean.. here.. and..” The room swayed and he dug into the booth to steady himself. “what are you doing here?”

“This is all for you. I’m all for you.” Kaidan said, moving his hips in a way that shepard had fantasized about over and over, before leaning over to brush the back of his hand over Shepard’s cheek. “Do you like what you see?”

“Ohgodyes.” Shepard blurted out, watching Kaidan’s muscles move under the translucent blue. He dug his hands into the edge of the table to keep himself from falling over again. “Can we go somewhere.. private? I need to talk to you..” He whispered. “I just want to explain..”

“Talk? Sure.” Kaidan crawled closer across the table and leaned in so close, Shepard could just reach forward and..

“GODDAMNIT, WE DID NOT BUY HIM A TABLE DANCE, SHOO! SHOO!” Zaaed’s voice was loud and abrasive and Shepard scrambled back at the sight of a very, VERY confused asari caught in mid-gyration.

“but the bartender said..” She said, pouting as Zaeed continued to make shooing motions at her.

He fell out of the seat with a painful crash to the floor and looked around wildly. “Sober. I’m sober. I.. what happened?”

“The new bartender drugged you and..” Jacob started, then stopped. “Shepard, you look like… you were crying? Are you ok?”

Shepard touched his face. “I.. I just had a bad dream is all. We should go.”

~~

 

**reyani : Something embarrassing. Daughter Ash starts her monthly curse & either Kaidan or Shep needs to buy the needed supply. *scented or unscented? Tampon or pad? Always or stayfree?***

 

“it’s official.” Shepard sighed as he read the note from Ash’s school nurse. “I’m the worst father ever.” There were a series of handy pamphlets attached. They were mostly pink and emblazoned with grinning stock photos of human and asari girls, with vague titles like “Becoming a Woman.”

“Shepard.” Kaidan said as he lugged the laundry past. Ash had holed herself up in her bedroom, refusing to come out with double-dose of stubbornness her genetics had gifted her with. “You shouldn’t beat yourself up.”

“Kaidan, she can field strip an avenger in under ten minutes and wants to be a turian when she grows up.” Shepard clonked his head on the desk. “I just..I know we read all the books about it.. but she’s too young for..”

Kaidan balled up a sock and beaned Rear Admiral (ret) John Shepard, Saviour of the Galaxy and currently distraught father, square in the head with it. “Stop moaning and go get her some stuff, John. The school nurse can’t stock our home with feminine protection forever.” He strode in and snatched the brochures away. “I’ll go talk to the LT about her sitrep.”

“Yeah, but..” Shepard’s head was still planted on the desk.”She’s just a baby, Kaidan. And feminine protection is a pink carnifex with unicorn stickers on it, for god’s sake.” He whined against the scuffed wood.

“Shepard, you dragged a kakliosaur skull halfway across the galaxy. You can buy some damn tampons.” Kaidan smacked him with the brochures. “MARCH SOLDIER.”

Shepard looked up and nodded firmly. “Yes, Major General Alenko, Sir. Feminine Protection Sir.” He saluted, then planted a kiss on Kaidan’s forehead. “How do you put up with me?”

“The same way I put up with everything, Shepard. Inhuman patience and imagining you naked at all times.” he called after Shepard as the former Admiral went to grab a coat.

“I like the cut of your jib, marine!” Shepard shouted back.

“OH GOD I CAN HEAR YOU BOTH STOP TALKING.” Ash’s voice drifted from her room. “YOU ARE SO EMBARRASSING!!”

~~

It had taken some doing, but Kaidan had managed to lure Ash out of her room, and they were in the midst of a Serious Talk about Growing Up Things when Shepard came in with an armload of bags.

Ash covered her face with a pillow and groaned. “I want to die, Daddy.”

“Shepard. What did you do.” Kaidan asked as levelly as he could. Breaking out in to hysterical laughter would only ruin whatever gravity he’d been able to maintain thusfar.

“Kaidan. There are specifications and paramters to these things. Flow volume, time of day. Ultra-absorbent weaves vs. natural products. I had no idea.” He set the bags on the couch and Ash made another moan of deathly embarrassment. “So I just bought one of everything. Ash, just report back with some practical data so I can make a better field assessment next time.”

“I swear to god, I’m moving to Palaven when I grow up.” Ash whined. “If I don’t die of embarrassment first.”

“Well you’ll die of starvation not long after you get there, what with it being dextro and all.” Kaidan patted her on the head. “Now, do you want pizza or not?”

“I want pizza.” Shepard said from his perch on the back of the couch, and Ash peered over her pillow with those identical eyes.

“Pizza.” she agreed and Kaidan sighed.

Inhuman patience.

~~

**lancesolous asked: Kaidan comforting Bro!Shep after Priority: Thessia plz.**

 

“Shepard.” Kaidan knocked softly on the door to the Captain’s Quarters. “I’m coming in.”

“How’s Liara holding up?” Shepard rasped as Kaidan padded into the darkened room. “She… I mean..” He was sitting on the couch, datapads stacked around him, reviewing the reports still sporadically coming in.

“She told me you talked to her. You gave her strength.” Kaidan said gently, sitting beside him. “I thought you might need some.”

“We were so close, Kaidan. So.. goddamn close to ending this and… and..” There was a breaking sound and Shepard took a hiss of breath, looking down at the shattered pad in his hand. “I’m tired, K.” He said, dropping it to the table with a clatter. Bits of polymer stuck, jagged to his palm, and Shepard let his hand fall to his side with a defeated sound.

“Come here.” Kaidan slid his arm around him, drew him close to stroke the crop of Shepard’s hair. “Traynor’s on to his movements. We will find him. We will find the VI and we are going to finish this, preferably with a bullet between Leng’s eyes.” he said firmly. “I know you’re tired, Shep. So rest now, ok? Rest, just for a little bit.”

“Kaidan..” Shepard sagged against his shoulder, eyes sliding shut as the Major began to hum.

It was a tuneless thing, in a rough, soft voice, in time with the gentle touch of Kaidan’s hand through Shepard’s hair. He didn’t stop when he heard the little hitch of breath or the twitch of shepard’s eyelashes against his neck.

“Take what strength you need, Shepard.” He whispered. “I’ll be here as long as you need me.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More prompt madness!

**datalenkoass: Kaidan and Shepard’s first Christmas together post-war..? (:**

6 January, 2187, 23:45

Snow is falling in near-blizzard conditions as the Normandy limps back into Vancouver, and it looks as if they’re falling through a billion stars as the ship breaks through the clouds.

It blankets the city, hiding the worst of the scars left by the Reapers, leaves it glowing faintly in what wan moonlight pokes through the clouds.

There is a small, dedicated throng of reporters, braving the snow as Joker settles her into the dock that’s been left open and waiting for them for the last six months, but so are the Alliance aircars that Kaidan had begged for.

There would be time for the second human SPECTRE and acting captain of the Normandy to talk to the press, later. There would be time for debriefings later. Right now, the crew needed food and showers and decent beds. Necessities had been in short supply on the last leg of the journey home - scavenging fuel and supplies from dead starships every step of the way -and Kaidan, more than any of those things, needed Shepard.

~~

The few steps from the car to the hospital and Kaidan’s covered in snow, from the top of his head to the hem of the long coat someone had thoughtfully provided.

And in minutes, he’s standing in the doorway to Shepard’s room, the marine security detail thoughtfully giving him room as he slowly thawed.

Dim and quiet as the snowfall outside, a few soft machine sounds beeping in the gloom. “Shepard?” He asked, voice low, footsteps careful.

There was the faint rustle of sheets, the edges of Shepard’s face catching the light. Kaidan almost fell over himself to reach the bedside.

And then Shepard laughed. It was raggedy around the edges but a laugh nonetheless. “С праздником, Дед Мороз” Shepard whispered, bandaged fingers reaching up to brush the snow from Kaidan’s hair. “Did you bring me any presents, Father Frost?”

Somewhere in the hospital, a clock beeped as the Sixth rolled into the Seventh. (Christmas in Russia), Kaidan thought, sinking to his knees, melting snow dripping on the floor. “No presents, I’m afraid. Only me, John.” He said, chewing the inside of his cheek, gently stroking Shepard’s face.Trying not to cry.

“I never wanted anything else.” Shepard said, closing his hand over Kaidan’s as the snow fell.

~~

**reyani : Ash got her driver’s license permit, Shepard is teaching and Kaidan is having a panic attack**

It was easy to forget that Shepard grew up in crushing poverty. But certain ingrained habits, habits further formed by half a lifetime spent at war, often came out in strange and nerve-wracking ways.

Case in point:

“Shepard. We can afford to have someone teach our offspring to drive.” Kaidan pointed out over dinner one night. The offspring in question rolled her eyes and shoveled another piece of naan in her mouth.

“Kaidan,that’s a waste of money and resources. I am perfectly capable of teaching our daughter to drive.” Shepard said indignantly, shoveling naan into his mouth in exactly the same way.

(Kaidan often wondered if Miranda had somehow fucked him over in the whole test-tube baby process the first time. Sure, Ashley had his unruly mop of black curls, but everything else, from her storm-blue eyes to the set of her jaw when things weren’t going her way, was pure, unadulterated Shepard.)

Kaidan started to laugh hysterically, then choked it off as two sets of eyebrows lifted in identical time across the table from him. “No, John. Really. No. Just.. “

“Kaidan, I’ve been driving since I was twelve!” Shepard pointed a fork at his husband.

“You stole a car when you were twelve and promptly drove it into the front of a convenience store!” Kaidan pointed his fork straight back at Shepard. Ashley choked on her lemonade.

“DAD?”

“It was an accident.” Shepard said quickly. “Kaidan, what about the mako? I mean..”

“No. No. No. No. No. You drive like you learned it by watching Blasto movies.” Kaidan shook his head. “And Liara still has nightmares about the high-speed chase you took her on through Illium. No. There is a REASON the Alliance hires you a driver.” Kaidan took a long swig of beer, wishing it had a higher alcohol content. “You are my precious husband and daughter. I don’t want either of you to die in a fireball as you careen into a parked truck full of explosives and.. and.. nuns.”

“Now you’re just being dramatic.” Shepard replied primly. “Ash, do you want Daddy to teach you how to drive?” He asked as he fed a spoonful of spinach to Ash’s considerably younger brother, David.

(Kaidan had hopes that David would eventually grow up to be more Alenko than Shepard. But then, once again, Miranda. He was sure she had it in for him some days.)

“Holy shit yes.” Ashley blurted out. “I mean, yes, Daddy. Please teach me to drive.” She batted her big blue eyes at Kaidan. “It’ll be ok, poppa. I can’t be any safer than with Commander Shepard.”

David waved his arms excitedly with a happy noise as if to punctuate Ash’s statement.

Later that night, when Kaidan called Karin Chakwas for a prescription for Krogan-grade tranqs, he honestly wasn’t sure if he really just wanted to knock John out long enough to take Ash to driving school, or if taking them would be the only way he’d sleep at night, knowing that two Shepards were on the road.

~~

**comediaace: Hmm… something about Shepard and Vega trying to understand “expensive but tasteful”? :D**

“Oh my god, Loco.” Vega breathed as they looked in the storefront. “That.. that is amazing.”

“It is.” Shepard nodded. “It’s.. It’s so.. James. I have to buy this for him.” he flailed. “Kaidan likes well made things. And that.. That is *craftsmanship* right there.”

“Straight up, esse.” Vega folded his arms, nodding sagely. “Craftsmanship.”

“It’s 50,000 credits.” Shepard added after a moment, deflated.

“Craftsmanship, Shepard.” Vega repeated. “Plus, I heard about your whole “this is my favourite store on the citadel thing. Hell, they’ll probably GIVE it to you, for the free advertising.”

“What the hell are you two doing?” Cortez asked from behind them. He knew Vega couldn’t be left unattended in the shopping arcade, but he’d expected better from shepard - and he’d only been gone for five minutes. “You’re not thinking of buying that, are you?”

Shepard shuffled his feet like a naughty child, then squared his shoulders, apparently remembering who the hell he was. “I wanted to get Kaidan something. Something nice. That he could.. you know, remember me by, in case this whole thing goes sideways.” He said, looking longingly back at the window.

“You want to buy him a limited edition, rose gold-plated, diamond-encrusted Blasto omnitool dangle to remember you by.” Cortez said, disbelieving. “Shepard, No.”

“Craftsmanship?” Vega offered, silencing immediately at Steve’s icy glare.

Cortez put a hand on each of their shoulders and forcibly guided them away from the window. “We are going to get some coffee and I’m going to explain how expensive and tasteful don’t always intersect.”

“Aw.” Shepard said, glancing over his shoulder.

“No, Shepard.”

But there would always be the Blasto plush. A gift which, years later, would- after the intial confusion subsided - still reduce Kaidan to hysterical laughter.

And that was a better way to be remembered anyways, Shepard thought.

~~

**zwierzodudle: Kaidan trying to cheer Shep up with tickle attack? :D**

Everyone has a bit of knowledge that they hold in reserve. A secret hard-earned and well-kept, to only be taken out in extreme emergencies.

And as Kaidan looked over across the top of his glasses, at the man sitting at the desk across from him furiously editing a diplomatic report and growling at the datapad, he knew it was time.

He set his glasses down and padded across the room as Shepard started to curse in krogan. Ever so cautiously, he leaned over shepard’s shoulder and unleashed the secret that could have changed the entire tide of the Reaper War.

_Phase 1: He gently breathed on the back of Shepard’s ear._

“WAUGH!” the datapad clattered to the desk, and shepard practically scrambled out of his seat. “Kaidan. Geez. Look.. I…” There was an appealing pink flush on his face, and he rubbed behind his ear as if it itched.

_Phase 2: Kaidan cornered him against the desk, nails raking along his ribcage as he slid his hands under Shepard’s shirt._

“Kaid.. K.. wait waitwaitwait.” Shepard squirmed, clearly trying not to laugh as he clambered back onto the desk. There was the faintest scrape of gooseflesh in the wake of Kaidan’s nails. “Not fair, this isn’t.. Gah!”

_Phase 3: The hardest, in more ways than one - shoving Shepard down on the desk to blow the most undignified raspberry in history against his navel._

Shepard was laughing so hard, his eyes were watering, finally dragging his fingers through Kaidan’s hair and guiding him away from ticklish skin. The former Major grinned, climbing on top of him. “You should be grateful I didn’t move on to phase 4.” He said, poking Shepard in the ribs.

“Noted.” Shepard wheezed, wiping his eyes. “Wait, Phase 4?”

“I know *all* of your ticklish spots, John.” Kaidan waggled his eyebrows at Shepard. “And I’m not afraid to use that knowledge.”

“And that makes me so happy.” Shepard rasped.

“… you asked for it.” Kaidan said with a vicious little smile. “But don’t blame me when the neighbours complain.”

~~

Later, when the neighbours invariably complained, it was more for the crash from the desk collapsing then the completely unbecoming hysterical near-shriek that came from the Shepard-Alenko household.

No one ever dared ask about that.


End file.
